On Mon, 22 Jan 2007 13:19:24 +0900, Miles Bader <miles.bader@necel.com> said:
> Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@debian.org> writes:
>> I hate to break it to you (and I do sincerely apologize for
>> spoiling your innocence), but lexicons are not handed down to
>> mankind on tablets writ in stone as some kind of divine donation.
> I was not claiming that.
> Indeed, I was claiming exactly the opposite, that the dictionary was
> describing a _usage_ of the word by english speakers. I've
> personally seen many such uses with exactly the meaning given, so
> it's pretty clear to me that the dictionary has not somehow screwed
> up in that mission.
The etymology of the word is not english: (Hindu + stan). When
incorporating it into English, the word came with a well defined
meaning.
> As I said, it's more or less archaic usage these days, and it would
> be nice if they indicated that, but I do not know how dictionaries
> handle such cases in general.
So: I said three things about the entry:
i) Old: you have yourself agreed that it is archaic, which, correct
me if I am wrong, does indeed imply old.
ii) Non PC; Trust me, labelling muslims, sikhs, budhists, and
christians "Hindus" is going to get you some very upset people,
and indeed, can be slightly dangerous. Mislabelling people's
sreligious beliefs can be graught with danger (consider what an
assertion someone followed judaism would have had in europe, oh,
some 70 years ago).
So: Definiteky non PC
iii) Over generalization: the people living in India are not, by a
long shot, followers of Hinduism, despite the easy imperialist
assumptions. While Hinduism is a majority religion, it is not
the only one.
I said, and I said again, and thrice I say and done: the
dictionary in question is using an old, non-PC, over generalization;
and people who use it as such are bound to insult the people they are
so referring.
Y'all are free to insult all non-hindu inhabitants of India,
but he who sows the wind ...
manoj
--
Good-bye. I am leaving because I am bored. George Saunders' dying
words
Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@debian.org> <http://www.debian.org/~srivasta/>
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